Error Day
by Mick Reeve
Summary: episode 1 of startrek FF, the brand new crew of the proto type ship the U.S.S. Falcon is all ready to go, but than the mission gets canceled. however Captain Chell Drost decides to leave spacedoc anyway. but only lightyears from Earth problems have alread


AN: It's a little something I came up with during my holidays in greece. all mentioned characters are real persons as I imagine they would be in the Startrek Universe. most of them you can meet at Falcon Forums (http/nl.forums.cc/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t144&mforumfalconforums) after which the story was named. well... R&R please...

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Startrek FF  
Error Day

Original AN: there is no need to tell me I did a terrible job keeping all of you into character... I already know that, through I still think I did a great job on keeping Chell into character (had lots of help with that too... she kept telling me stuff like: 'I wouldn't do that Mick...'). Oh, and don't get angry at misspelled names and terms... I don't have a english spelling check on my laptop and can't check names on the internet... (especially you chaz, you're surname is Marchant right?) Anyway, time to read on; have fun...

and yeah, I know it's long... it took me 3 days to write... --" oh, and last thing before I really stop talking, Startrek belongs to paramount pictures and I'm not making any profit out of this story... I'm just borrowing it for a while...

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"So? What do you say?" Chell looked at her twinbrother.

"Me? An Chief engineer under your command? Are you sure that's gonna work?" Mick looked like he wasn't sure if it was such a good idea after all. Chell smiled at him. "Can't you just pretend I'm not you're sister but just an ordinary star ship captain?"

Mick still looked like he doubted the idea. "Who did you have in mind for the rest of your senior staff?"

"well, I was thinking of Shauna for Medical Officer, Chaz on tactical and securtiy..."

Mick grined, "are you sure you want Chaz on Security?"

Chell ignored his comment en continued her list of people she wanted to be her senior staff. "Caranore on Armory, if he saids yes that is, Katie for Communications, she is a briljant langualist you know."

Mick nodded. "I know, she got us out of some pretty thight spots on the last mission we were on." Chell smiled slightly. "Saved _you_ from quite some tight spots as I recall correctly."

Mick rolled his eyes. "If you are refering to that time..." he stopped in his mid sentence and thought for a moment. "well, never mind... who did you have in mind for your science department?"

Chell smiled at her brother. "yes, I would change subjects too in your situation." she said while shifting position in her chair. "And I'm sure you remember Emma Zinn?" the way Chell said it it sounded half like a question, half like an fact. Mick nodded, "sure, nice girl. you had her in mind for science officer?"

Chell shook her head. "Actually I wanted Commander Turek but he said no, Emma was my second choose. She already accepted by the way." she stood up.

"you haven't told me yet who's on the helm." Mick said, looking up at his sister.

"And you haven't answered my question yet." Mick didn't answer and simply kept staring at his sister. Chell sighed. "Spinn will be the Helm Officer. now, what will it be?"

Mick stood up. "you don't happen to know what my alternatives are do you?" Chell smiled. "officially, no. but I heard the rumors they want to assign you to the Challanger. Second in command Engineering."

Mick made a face, "please tell me that's a joke! that ship gets shot to pieces every two weeks..." Chell smiled at her brother. "blame the romulans for that Mick. Have you already made up your mind?" she smiled sweetly. Mick sighed.

"okay, count me in..." Chell smiled widely. "Welcome aboard Commander Drost." Mick raised an eyebrow again. "Commander?"

"Congratuations on your promotion Mick." she simply said placing a kiss on his cheek and turning around to leave the room.

First thing that caught his eye when he entered the brand new engineering department of the U.S.S. Falcon was the enormous warp 7 engine. Mick looked at the control panels, the most advanged technology availible at the moment. Chell studied his face. "you look like a 5 year old in a candystore Mick." she commented.

Mick smiled, "this is a candystore for any engineer. just wait until Tim gets to see this..." he runned a hand down the main control panel. Chell looked at Mick. "I'm not entirely sure yet if it's a good idea to let you have a second in command that has an habit of trying to get you drunk every time he gets a change."

Mick either didn't hear Chell's comment or had chosen to ignore it. Chell smiled, her guess was he hadn't heard her at all. Mick seemed to be forgetting that she was there at all. she was glad he had accepted the position as a Chief Engineer under her command. He was one of the best without doubt.

"I'll just leave you alone with your engines now, so you can get to know them." She winked at Mick, but he didn't seem to notice at all.

She left engineering to check on the rest of her senior staff. today it was their first day on the Falcon. It would only be another 3 days before take off, giving the crew time to settle. On her way to the bridge she passed the Armory. Two voices seemed to argueing about something.

As she came closer she recconised the first voice as Caranore. "I runn this buisness anyway I want to!" Oh, deffinatly Caranore.

Chell pushed the button to open the door. the doors opened and Caranore and Chaz came into view. "And I tell you to find another position for those bloody torpedo's! they're lying in the way!"

"no they're not!"

"I order you do move those torpedo's if you don't do it right away mister!"

"Yeah right, you seem to be forgetting a little something here..."

"such as!" Chaz was now nearly screaming at Caranore, who was grinning at her.

"I'm a Lieutanant too now remember?" He pointed at the brand new pipe on the collar of his uniform. Chaz grinned at him. "oh that's right, you got promoted... Mick and me already started wondering why Admiral Avalon had done that..."

Chell decided it had been enough now and cleared her throath. Both Chaz and Caranore looked at her now. "Oh, hi Captain. How's Mick doing?" Chaz made an attempt to smile innocently, which reminded Chell of Mick when he'd been up to something. Caranore just continued looking very cranky.

"What seems to be the problem?" Chell looked at her two senior officers. "The positions of the torpedo's ma'am." answered Chaz at once. Chell looked over to where the torpedo's where stored. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing." commented Caranore. Chaz rolled her eyes at Caranore. "they're in the way ma'am." Chell raised an eyebrow. "And why can't they be moved?" She asked, looking at Caranore.

"Because their position is fine." Caranore simply answered. Chell sighed.

"Well, just move them to a place where everyone thinks they're not in the way." She said. "Apart from the torpedo's, any other problems?"

Both Chaz and Caranore shook their heads. Chell nodded slowly. "In that case, dissmissed." Chell turned again to leave the Armory. "Thanks Captain!" Chaz called after her. Chell also heard Caranore say something in a low voice, but choose to ignore that.

On her way to the bridge she passed some crewman searching for their quarters but nothing really happened. As she entered the brigde she found Emma en Katie working at their stations, but Spinn was nowhere in sight. "Everything all right here?" Emma looked up from her station.

"hi Chell... Captain I mean... sorry..."

Chell smiled. "Don't worry about it, everything all right?" Chell looked over Emma's shoulder at the station. Emma nodded. "I never had such advanged sensors to use before, the Falcon has the best sensors ever!"

Chell smiled at her enthousiastm. "Yes, Mick mentioned something about the sensors being a proto type." Emma smiled.

"Speaking of Mick, where is he?" She asked.

Chell smiled and layed an hand on Emma's shoulder. "I left him in engineering drooling over his brand new warp 7 engines." Emma smiled. "Would you mind if I went down to say 'hi' to him?" Chell nodded. "Sure, as long as you're work here is done it's all right with me."

"thanks, anything that needs to be brought down do engineering?"

"just tell Mick to clean up after he's done drooling." Chell commented. She winked at Emma to make clear that was a joke.

Emma thanked again and walked to the turbolift. She nearly walked into Spinn as she entered it.

Chell walked to Katie to check if everything was all right. "everything working?" she asked. Katie looked up. "not really, but I'll figure it out myself. there is no need to get an engineer to do it." Chell nodded.

"Okay, carry on Lieutenant." Chell walked over to the Captain's chair and sat down. Spinn had made her way to the helm and was pushing some buttons, looking very serious she turned around to face Chell. "the Navigation isn't working." she said.

Chell nodded. "the navigation isn't online yet, it should be on tomorrow." she informed Spinn. Chell sat back again and looked at the viewing screen. "Katie, can you show us what is happening outside?" Katie nodded and pushed an button. the viewing screen came to life and showed the crowded spacedoc.

Chell looked at it and smiled when she thought of how the viewing screen would only show stars within a few days.

Mick was nowhere in sight as Emma entered engineering. As a matter of fact, engineering seemed deserted.

"Mick!" Emma called out. There was no answer. "Mick!" she called again, and again, there was no answer.

She started wandering around the control pannels. She looked up at the engine. She could understand why Mick would be proud of it, it looked beautiful.

"Can I help you?" Emma turned around to face an tall man wearing a Starfleet uniform. "errr... I err... I am..." She stammled. He man raised an eyebrow.

"I'm looking for Mick... I mean... Commander Drost..." She felt foolish. The man smiled.

"Mick's down some tupe searching for a 'very special' control panel. Which just means he took off to take a look at the rest of the ship." Emma smiled, that sounded like Mick.

"by the way, I'm Tim." he held out an hand. Emma took it, "nice to meet you. I'm Emma, I heard a lot about you." She said smiling.

"If you are Emma from the science department I heard a lot about you too." Emma let go of Tim's hand. "I am." She said. A very unconfortable silence followed. Emma was just about to say something when the intercom bleeped. Tim turned around to answer it.

"Lieutenant van Weelden here."

"hey Tim, you should come and take a look at the living quarters, it's way better then our last assigment."

"errr... Mick, you might want to keep down your voice a little." Tim said carefully, looking at Emma, who was once again, smiling. "Why? Is Chell there?"

"No, but there is a lady here to see you."

"To see me?" Emma was sure he raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I don't understand it either." Tim said, grinning. "I'll be right there, just give me a minute. Drost out."

the comlink was broken. Tim was still grinning. "He's on his way." He told Emma. She nodded and started looking around again while Tim pretended to be very busy with an control panel.

A few minutes later Mick showed up, like promised. He was wearing his uniform and for a change, it seemed to be clean. Emma couldn't remember she had seen Mick wearing a clean uniform. He smiled as he made his way throught engineering to meet up with Emma. "Hey, how are ya?"

"I am fine, how about you?" Mick smiled, "same as ever, glad to be down in engineering." he answered. "I didn't know you had already arrived, I don't think there is a lot to do in the science department until take off is there?"

"nothing that can't wait until we're in orbit, but I like to be on a ship early, unlike some others." She added looking at Mick. He just tried to smile as innocent as possible, he was getting better at it.

"usually I get on board on the very last moment, but have you seen that engine? I can't wait to leave spacedoc." Emma looked over his shoulder to see the engine.

"I can see what you mean, it looks beautiful." She said. "I bet you like your new sensors. their prototypes, the best sensors in starfleet." Mick looked over his shoulder at Tim.

"And I suppose you already met Tim here." Emma nodded and smiled.

Tim looked up from his work. "Mick, I hate to interfere with you're little chat there, but Navigation should be online tomorrow. I could use an hand here."

"Be with ya in a minute." He looked back at Emma. "I'm sorry, duty calls. what quarters you have?" he asked.

"B-Deck, 793" emma answered. "and you?"

"B-247, that's the other side of the ship"

Emma sighed. "pitty." She said.

Mick smiled at her. "don't worry, I'll come by later tonight okay? as you heard Tim needs an hand with Navigation."

"When are the other engineers comming in?" Asked Emma.

"Tomorrow, and that's only the early ones. So I've got lots of work to do."

"Good luck with it then. I'll see you tonight?" Mick nodded,

"I'll be there." He waited for Emma to walk away befor turning around.

As Emma had left engineering he hit Tim over the head. "Thanks a lot, you know just as well as I do that Navigation can wait a few more minutes." Tim grinned.

"What? I just gave you a change to show her you care more about her then about the ship." Mick looked at Tim and raised an eyebrow.

"It's not like that, we're just friend." He said firmly. Tim grinned widely, but choose to keep his mouth shut about it.

Katie read the incomming transmission again before calling Chell to come and see it. "Eerr... Captain?" Chell looked up from the security station were she was working with Chaz. "What is it Lieutant?"

"You might want to take a look at this, it's from Starfleet."

"Transfer it to my office, I'll take a loot at it there." Chell answered while walking to her office which was right next to the brigde. Katie just did as she was told, still wondering what it was all about.

As Chell read the message she too had to read it again to make sure she hadn't misunderstood. she reached for the intercom.

"Captain to all senior staff, please report to conferrence room immedeatly. repeat, please report to the conferrence room immedeatly. Captain out."

Chell sat back and wondered what should be done next.

Mick was the last one to enter the room, where the rest of the staff was staring at the Captain.

"Sorry I'm late..." Mick sat down and looked at his sister wondering why she had called her seniorstaff, the mission hadn't even begun yet and an staff meeting on such short notice usually meant trouble.

Spinn sighed in a very annoyed way. "What is it Captain?"

Chell took a deep breath. "I just got word from Admiral Avalon. Our mission appears to have been cancled." She looked at her staff for reactions.

Katie, who already knew didn't react, Caranore looked up and started staring at Chell, Emma was looking around, clearly wondering if it was a joke, Spinn mumbled something what sounded like, "Can't be.", Shauna rested her head on her folded hands being in deep thought, Chaz opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again and looked at Mick, who had sat back in his seat and had an eyebrow raised.

"Canceled? We haven't even started yet." He said. Chell studdied his face for a moment. Mick clearly didn't take the situation very serious, which was usually his main problem. Chell took another deep breath before talking. "Yes, Canceled."

"Avalon's work." Commented Caranore in a deep voice.

"but, like Mick said; We haven't even started yet." Emma looked at Chell. "They can't cancel the mission right?"

"They can do whatever they like." Chell said firmly, looking directly at Mick, expecting him to protest.

"I don't know what your alternatives are, but I'm not planning on going anywhere near the Challanger any time soon." Mick commented.

Chell felt an close knot forming in her stomach. She had totally forgotten about Mick's alternative assignment. Everybody was staring at Mick. "Isn't the Challanger a warship?"

Chaz looked at Mick.

"Yeah, it has an habit of getting shot to pieces every two weeks... every engineers nightmare." Mick said before looking back at Chell.

"What is it gonna be Captain?"

Chell thought for a moment. "How much of the crew is already on board?" She asked, looking around.

"Medical personal isn't complete yet." Shauna was the first to reply.

"Do you have enough personel to run sickbay?" Shauna nodded, "It's a skeleton crew, but I'm sure we could manage." Chell nodded. "Caranore?"

"My crew is complete."

"Chaz?"

"I miss about 3 crewman, but they should arive any minute now."

"Katie?"

"My personel is complete."

Chell nodded and looked at Spinn. "Pilots aren't on board yet." She told Chell.

"In that case I want you to scan database for clasifide pilots and crewman with basic piloting. Mick will help you with that." Mick raised an eyebrow.

"I've got enough to do down in engineering." He protested.

"You have your engineers for that Mick." Chell told him. "I only have half of my engineers yet. most of them arrive later today." Chell sighed.

"Anybody who isn't busy?" She looked around again.

Shauna nodded. "I'll help Spinn with the database." Chell nodded back.

"Thank you. Take off in 2 hours, try to get as much crew on as possible, and Mick, I expect the engines to work by that time."

Mick stood up, "In that case I'd better get back to work, we're already behind on the original schedule." He explained.

As he turned around to leave the room Chell called after him, "I still expect the engines to work in 2 hours Commander!" Mick raised his left hand to make clear he had heard her comment and left the room. "Emma, how is your personal?"

"Complete." Chell thought for a moment. "Would you care try to get the engineers on board? I have a feeling Mick is gonna need them."

"Sure Captain." Chell nodded slowly.

"That would be all, dissmissed." Chell stood up.

"Remember, take off in 2 hours. I expect everyone to be standing by." When everybody had left the room she sank back into her chair, wondering if she had just made the right decision.

"Captain on the bridge!" Chaz called out as Chell entered the bridge two hours later.

"Status?" She asked. "Engines are online ma'am, we're ready to go."

Spinn had turned away from the helm and looked at Chell, waiting for the command for take off. Chell nodded, "Steady as she goes, Ensign."

Spinn turned around and started to push the buttons. The ship slowly lifted from spacedoc. "We're being hailed Captain." Katie pushed a few buttons. "Shall I put them on screen?" She asked.

Chell shook her head. "No, close all hailing channels. We'll explain when we're a few lightyears away."

Katie nodded and did as she was told. "Spinn, prepare to leave orbit."

Spinn turned around. "Are you sure Captain? What if critical systems go offline?" Chell sighed.

"Let's hope that's not the case than, prepare to leave orbit." Spinn shook her head slightly and turned back to her panels. "Now lieutenant, warp 3." Chell sat down in her Captain's chair.

Spinn pushed a few buttons and pulled a few switches. Chell stared at the screen, earth had disappeared within seconds.

Chell sat back and sighed. It worked, they got away. Suddenly she felt like she was lifted out of her chair. Looking around the brigde she saw that everything was flooting around, and that included her staff. Chell hold on to the chair while reaching for the intercom.

"Captain for Engineering, What is happening down there?" It was silent for a while, then Mick's voice came over the intercom, "Sorry Chell, gravitation plating just went offline."

"NO KIDDING!" Chaz called from the other side of the bridge. She was holding on to her chair in an attempt to keep herself down.

"We're working on it, but it's not easy working while your floating around..." Mick commented. "Engineering out." The comlink was broken.

Chell sighed, Mick didn't mention when the gravitation would come back online. "Spinn, set a course for Vulcan, we'll orbit there."

Spinn did something that looked like a nod, but it was difficult to see since she was floating upside down over the helm station in attempt to reach all controls. In any other situation Chell might have considered this funny, but now the situation was to critical to be funny. And all she could hope for was that Mick would hurry up and get the gravitation back online.

Down in Engineering it was one big mess of floating crewmen, material and tools. Mick didn't really mind, he loved chaos as much as chaos seemed to love him.

Tim tried to make it across engineering to another station, making strange movements which reminded Mick of swimming, but than without water. Mick grinned. So far it had been an interesting first 30 minutes.

He pulled himself up to a control panel which was about 6 feet of the ground. usually he needed a step to reach it, but since the gravitation was offline it was just as easy to just pull himself up.

He got out an scanner and started working on the panel. A few minutes later he had found the problem, he pushed a control buton and waited. Nothing. Okay, so it was not that easy. He took an look at the scanner, reading the information again. "Wait a sec..."

Mick reached for a pocket of his uniform to get out an tool which looked remarkebly much like an screwdriver and opened up the panel.

"Mick, Captain is asking how long it's gonna take to get gravitation back online." Tim was floating just below him. Mick looked down for a moment. "Any minute now..." He mumbled as he reconnected the wire, thanhe smiled.

"Here, that should..." The smile on his face fainted quickly as he realished he was still a few feet above the ground. He tried to grab an hold of something but was too late. As gravitation came back online Mick found himself back on the floor, lying flat on his back.

"Oh hell, I should think before I do stuff..." He got to his feet again with a painfull look on his face. And he wasn't the only one.

Mick walked up the the intercom. "Engineering to the Brigde." It didn't take them long to answer. "Bridge here, go ahead." Katie's voice came over the intercom. "Gravitation is back online..." Mick said while rubbing the back of his head with his left hand.

"We'd notice. Thanks Mick. Brigde out."

Mick would have sworn he heard Chaz yelling at him in the background just before the comlink was broken. Mick smiled as he thought of what probably just happened on the bridge, too bad he hadn't been there.

"Tim, I'll be in my office, if anybody needs me, which is unlikely..." He added as he made his way across Engineering. Chell would expect an full report on this little malfunction on her desk by tomorrow morning. He'd better start on it right away before something else came up.

He closed the door of his office behind him and sat down at his desk, not even away for 30 minutes and he already had paperwork to do, just his luck.

Caranore walked down to engineering. He needed to talk to Mick about the torpedo launchers, which just had gone offline, again.

His own people back in the Armory couldn't find the problem and Caranore wanted to ask Mick if he could spare a few engineers to take a look at it, or even better, could find a few spare minutes to take a look at it himself. Engineering was remarkebly silent as he entered it, most engineers weren't on their posts for some reason. Looking around for Mick he ran into Tim.

"Is the Commander in yet?" Tim shook his head. "Nope, he's late as ever."

"I'm not late, I'm busy..." Caranore turned around to face Mick.

"Busy?" He asked, grinning. Mick shot Caranore a look that could have killed.

"Please tell me that everything in your department is working perfectly fine..." He said. Caranore's grin grew even wider.

"Would I be here if it did?" He asked. Mick felt the urge to wipe that stupit grin from Caranore's face, but managed to ignore it.

"Okay, what is it?"

"Cranky huh?" Caranore commented. He loved pushing Mick to his limits.

"Like I told you, I'm busy." Mick told him again. Caranore just stood there waiting for somekind of explanation. "What is it?"

Mick sighed and took out an oldfashioned paper notepad out of his back pocket. Despearte the fact Mick was an engineer he held on to handwriting rather than digital notepads.

"About 6 o'clock this morning, sensors went offline, and have been offline ever since. And an hour ago Navigation went out, it's what most of the engineers, including myself, are working on right now." He put away the pad again in the backpocket of his uniform, clearly not wanting to add anything to his list right now.

Caranore grinned again. "Too bad for ya pal, I'll add another huge malfunction to that list of yours." He handed Mick an pad and waited for Mick to read it. Mick sighed and scanned the information on the pad quickly.

"Ahhh, not the torpedo launchers, those danm things have priority..." He complained while reading the pad again. Caranore's grin grew (if possible) even wider.

"Have fun Mick, see ya down in the Armory." He turned around to leave. Mick handed the pad over to Tim. "see if you can find the people form the evening and nightshift to take a look at that. I'll be on E-Deck with the morningshift, working on Navigation. Just call me if anything comes up." He paused for a moment. "Unless it's another malfunction, in that case; leave me out of it..." He added.

Tim smiled. "Aye Sir..." While Mick left Engineering Tim scanned the information too, hoping it turned out to be less of a problem then it appeared to be.

At the Brigde it was quiet, everybody working at their own stations on their own. Chaz was checking the status of the torpedo launchers, which had been offline for nearly 16 hours now, leaving them relativly unprotected for the time being. Emma tried to work on the onboard sensors, which also were offline, but wasn't making any progress. It was frustration to say at least.

Chell was reading Mick's report on the gravitation plating. He had done a very poor job on it considering the fact it had took him nearly 2 hours to finnish it. Chell shook her head and looked at Spinn for a moment, who was in front of her checking navigation over and over again, but it was no use. It was still offline.

Suddenly the familiar growling caused by the engines stopped. Chell looked up from Mick's report again. She reached for the comlink on her chair. "Captain for Engineering, please respond." There was no answer. "Captain for Commander Drost, please respond."

"Drost here, what is it Chell."

"What happened to the engines Mick?" Chell asked as she signaled Katie to set up an visual link with engineering. "Haven't got a clue, I'm on the other side of E-Deck working on Navigation. Ask Tim, he should be down in Engineering right now."

"Mick, you're Chief Engineer, you should know what's going on."

"I'm not in Engineering so I know about as..." The comlink was broken abruptly, before Chell had time to blink the visual link with Engineering vannished and all the lights went off. "Mick?" Chell stood up and reached for the emergency kit under her chair. Mick didn't answer, but that was to be suspected.

Chell took out a flashlight and turned it on. "Everybody all right?" She asked, shining around. Apperently Chaz had found her flashlight as well because there was another light shining from where she was suppost to be.

Not waiting for an reply she headed for the turbo lift. "Chaz, you're with me. We need to find Mick. It appears that his first priority has changed again."

As she attempted to enter the turbolift she realished it wouldn't work with all power down. Getting down on her knees she started searching for the panel which gave acces to the tupes leading through the entire ship. "Right there..." Chaz let her flashlight rest on a panel and Chell opened it up.

Chaz was the first one to enter it, crawling throug it on her stomach. "Where did Mick say he was?" She asked.

"E-Deck." Chell responded at once.

"Just like him to be as far as possible in an situation like this." Chaz complained while climing down to B-Deck. Chell smiled.

"He just loved trouble, I bet he's rolling over the floor of laugher right now."

"he wouldn't... would he?"

"oh yes, he would."

Mick was searching for a flashlight somewhere, but didn't have one with him. He cursed under his breath before attemting to crawl back to the main hall, hitting his head multiple time in the progress.

Finnally arriving back in the main hall he got to his feet again. He reached for the comsystem. "Drost to Engineering." No responce.

"Engineering please respond..."

Mick knew it was useless since the comsystem was offline, but couldn't help himself but to try anyway. Where were the rest of his engineers anyway? they were suppost to be working on the navigation too. Mick sighed and started making his way back to Engineering since the familiar growling of the engine had stopped only minutes before power went off line.

He saw flashlights comming towards him from the other end of the hall. "Mick?"

"Chell?"

"I take that as a yes." Chell shined her flashlight directly in Mick's face.

"Would you mind stop doing that?" Mick's voice sounded a bit annoyed as he pushed Chell's hand down.

"Sorry Mick..."

"What happened?"

"We were going to ask you the same question." Chell told him. "I suppose I don't need to remind you that Engineering is your department." She added. Mick rolled his eyes.

"I know that, but you haven't been in a tupe for the last 3 hours trying to fix Navigation have you?"

"No, but I'm not the Chief Engineer either am I?"

Chaz decided to stop the argueing between brother and sister. "I think it's quite clear who's the Chief Engineer and who's the Captain." She commented.

Mick looked at her sheepish before opening his mouth to say something. "Right... I was just heading down to Engineering again..."

"Well, we'll just go with you then huh? Since you seemed to have failed to bring allong a flashlight." Chaz commented.

"I didn't need one when I left for the repairs..." Mick smiled as he took Chell's flashlight.

"I'll take that, before you blind my engineers..." Now it was Chell's turn to look sheepish. Mick grinned and started walking down the halls to Engineering again, which was also on E-Deck.

When they we're about half way the emergency lights flikered on.

"Good boy Timmi..." Mick mumbled as he quickened his pace. Chaz turned off her flashlight, but Mick left it on.

The doors to Engineering where opened, inside was complete chaos once again. Mick handed the flashlight to Chaz and took of to find Tim while Chell and Chaz tried not to be in the way.

Mick found Tim giving orders to the engineers. "Mick! thank god you're here!" Mick raised an eyebrow. "It can't be that bad Tim, now what's our status?"

"Lifesupport went offline just a minute ago, but we managed to get emergency light back online for the time being."

"What!"

"Lifesupport is off line." Tim repeated. "How much time do we have?" Tim walked over to an controlpanel showing the status of the ship. "an hour at most."

Mick felt an chill going down his spine. He thought for a moment. "Evacuate B, C, D and F-Deck immedeatly, then seal off those Deck's from lifesupport, that could buy us some more time." He ordered.

Tim nodded and turned to sent an engineer to be messagerboy. Mick stopped him.

"Chell and Chaz are here too, let them take care of it, we can use every engineer we have." Tim nodded again and took off to find Chell and Chaz. Mick continued giving orders and checking on the information availible to him.

"Check powerlevels and dubble check all wires! Make sure everything is perfectly connected!" Mick went through the information again.

"Tim!" Mick searched for his second in command, spotting him standing over an panel staring at the data comming in.

"Tim!" Mick called out again.

Tim looked up. "What is it?" Mick was sure he didn't mean to sound so short but stress did strange things to people, Mick had learned that a long time ago. Mick handed him a pad,

"take a look at this, do you see what I see?" Tim scanned the pad quickly. "you don't think..." Mick nodded. "We should get started right away..."

Chaz and Chell had seperated to work more quickly. Chell evacuating F and C-Deck leaving B and D-Deck to Chaz. knowing they would be out of air in only 45 minutes they had to hurry up. Chaz had never realished how large the ship actually was. even one Deck was much to cover in 45 minutes. She was about half way through the Deck when she spotted Mick and Tim running down the hall to the very end of the ship.

Chaz hurried after them. "Mick! Tim! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Tim stopped running for a second to explain. "Mick thinks he has found what caused the trouble... it's down in the lab!" He ran off again, leaving Chaz staring at them. "Hey! what about B-Deck? Still evacuate?"

"Yeah! Depressurise as on schedual!" Mick called over his shoulder. Chaz looked at her watch. That left them just 15 minutes.

"Do me a favor will ya! tell the science nerds to leave the lab!" She called after them.

"He said what?" Chell stared blankly at Chaz.

"Depressurize as on schedual." Chaz repaeted. Chell shook her head slowly.

"There is no way that I'm going to depressurise B-Deck if Mick is still there."

"Not even if it saves the whole ship?" Chell looked at Chaz again, she had a point there. It was wrong to put anything, or anyone, before the ship being a starship captain. The ship, and her crew, should always be number one, no matter what. But this was Mick they were talking about, her twinbrother. She couldn't imagine life without him, he had always been there. They had always done everything together.

"Captain?"

Chell checked her watch, 5 minutes left. "If lifesupport isn't back on in 5 minutes, seal off F, D and C-Deck as schedualed. leave B-Deck open for as long as possible."

Chaz nodded and turned around to pass on the order to the engineers.

"Powerlevel should be rising a little..." Mick mumbled to Tim as he reconected the right components again.

Tim looked at the scanner. "No sign, are you sure you're doing it the right way?"

"Yeah..."

"Damn Mick, I can't reach it..." Tim was trying to reach into a panel. Mick looked down from the station were he was working.

"Maybe we should switch..."

Tim got to his feet again. "I always liked you better crawling over the floor anyway." He commented.

"Haha, very funny." Mick stepped down from the station he was working. They should have thought about that sooner, Tim's hand were to big to reach the back of the panels, while Mick was a lot smaller and had no trouble at all reaching them.

"How much time to we have left anyway?" Tim looked at his watch, blinked and checked it again.

"None..."

Mick hit his head on the panel as he forgot that he was already in the panel. "Auw..." He rubbed his head while comming out. "What do you mean none?"

"B-Deck should have depressurized about 10 minutes ago." Mick tought for a moment. "They're sealing of the other deck's first to buy us some time... better hurry up." Mick disapeared into the panel again.

Tim checked Mick's work on the main station so far. It was far from perfect, but good enough. Tim made a mental note to fix it more acurate when they had more time. His eye fell on the powerlevels.

"Mick, powerlevels are rising again." He reported.

Meanwhile Mick looked at a devise of which he was sure it didn't belong in the lab, or any other place on the ship. He started disconecting it.

"Check the comsystem Tim, try if you can contact Engineering." Tim nodded.

"Lieutenant van Weelden for Engineering, Engineering please respond."

"En... here..." The signal was weak and imcomplete, but the com was comming back online. Tim smiled.

"We've found the problem, lifesupport should be back online any minute now."

"You might... hurry u... you've only 3 min... air..." Tim raised an eyebrow.

"please repeat last message." He requested. "you have... ... ... air left."

"Damn, Mick, I want you to hurry up..."

"I'm working as fast as I can..."

"Work faster!"

"Stop distracting me than..." Mick reached for some laserlike tool. just as he finnished reconecting everything the lights went off. "Oh hell..."

Chaz broke the comlink with the Lab. "Tim said lifesupport should come back on-line any minute now..."

"We are running low on air, should I seal off B-Deck?" Chell shook her head, "Wait as long as possible, Mick thinks he has lifesupport back online within minutes now." The engineer turned around and walked up to an station, ready to seal of B-Deck if necesary.

Chaz looked at Chell. "We can't wait any longer..." Chell took a deep breath and nodded slowly. It was getting hard to breathe and temperature was dropping over the whole ship. She watched as the engineer who asked her before push butons and pull switches, trying not to think of Mick and Tim, who were still on B-Deck. "Depressurization complete."

Chell closed her eyes. She felt like crying, but above all, she felt awfully guilty. "Captain, lifesupport just came back online!"

Chell looked up. "pressurize all deck's immeadeatly!" Again the engineer started to pull switches and push buttons, but this time remarkebably faster than last time.

"Call Shauna, we need her in the Lab..." Chell's voice trailed off as she left engineering, followed closely by Chaz.

Chell didn't even noticed she had quickned her pace. Halfway to the lab on B-Deck they catched up with Shauna.

As they entered the lab they found Mick breathing heavly sitting with his back against a wall on the floor. Tim lay a few feet away from him, eyes closed, but breathing too. Shauna checked on him first.

Mick looked up at Chell and Chaz. "Well, that's one way to say 'thank you'" It looked like he was catching his breath again. Chell sank to her knees and embraced her brother.

"I thought I had killed you..."

"You'd wish you would get rid of me that easy..."

Chell shook her head, "no, never..."

She felt a tear running down her face. Mick gently swept it away. "Here see, you're already crying that it didn't work..." He grinned and did an attempt to stand up, refusing stubbornly any help from Chell nor Chaz.

A few feet away Tim also woke again. "What happened?" Shauna put away her medical scanner and helped him up. "Ask Mick, he seems to be the only one who exactly knows what happened." Tim looked at Mick, who was half sitting, half leaning against an controlpanel. "Do I want to know?"

"No."

"At least that is clear..." Tim commented.

Mick smiled.

Shauna took out her medical scanner again and walked over to Mick, who looked like all he wanted to do was get away from that scanner.

"I'm fine." He protested. "I'll decide about that, now sit still." Mick raised an eyebrow, "I'm not a 5-year-old..."

"Then stop acting like one and let Shauna do her job." Chell told him. Mick rolled his eyes.

Shauna put away the scanner again. "Both of you should get some rest."

"You're kidding? Half of the ships systems are out!"

"And you'll be next unless you get some rest."

"I outrank you..."

"Not when if comes to health."

"Cut it out, both of you. Mick, you heard Shauna, rest. And Tim, don't try to sneak away."

Mick grinned, he hadn't even noticed that Tim had been attempting to get away while he was argueing with Shauna. Why hadn't he thaught of that?

Chell turned to Chaz. "Luitenant Marchant, would you be so kind to escort Commander Drost and Luitenant-Commander van Weelden back to their quarters?" Chaz nodded. Mick mumbled something under his breath that sounded remarkably much like cursing.

"If you gentleman would care to follow me." Chaz smiled brightly. Tim just sighed.

"Must be frustrating Mick, to have your 6 minutes older sister order you around like that." He commented, it looked like he had found a sensitive spot there. Mick just followed Chaz, not saying a word and looking really cranky.

Chell was scanning the reports comming in on the problems from the last 12 hours. She raised an eyebrow as she came acros the engineering report and read it again. She sighed while reaching for the intercom. "Captain for Engineering."

"Drost here."

"Mick, what are you doing down in Engineering?" Chaz looked up from her station.

"I took rest, just like I promised." Mick sounded very cheerful for some reason, probably because it looked like he was getting away with being down in Engineering against doctor's orders.

Chaz shook her head looking slightly ammused and continued working on her security report. "Just out of curiousity Mick, how long did you take rest?" Chell asked.

"2 hours..."

"That must be a new record..." Chell mumbled just loud enough for the rest of the brigde to hear it, but only Chaz seemed to find it ammusing.

Chell took a look at the engineering report again. "I suspect you handed in the engineering report than?" It was half a question, half an conclusion.

"Yes Captain I did."

"You know I expect better reports than this; 'Lifesupport went offline ask chief engineer for details'" She read out loud. Chaz tried to keep from laughing, that sounded like Mick all right.

"Well, I don't actually have to to write you full reports right now. defence systems are still offline. Want a short version?" Chell nodded. "Fire away."

"Sabotage."

"Sabotage?"

"Sabotage."

"But who?"

"Want to know your chief engineer's opinion on it?" Chell thought for a moment. "No."

"Avalon"

"Mick, I said no."

"So?" Suddenly Chell understood why Mick had had his doubts of comming aboard the Falcon, he was certainly going out of line here talking in such a tone to his Captain, but Mick was also speaking to his twinsister, which made it difficult for him to keep into line.

"Mind your tone Commander." Chell warned him.

"Engineering out." Chell sighed and put away the reports. "Katie, you have the brigde. I'll be in my office if anybody needs me." Chell stood up and made her way across the brigde. "And Chaz, stop laughing, he isn't that funny." She commented as she passed Chaz, who was still grinning. "Ma'am..." Chell disapeared into her office.

* * *

Original AN: for anyone not mentioned yet, (LL, danny boy, swift, hans...) you'll be in it later, that is if everybody else thinks I should continue this... (I'm doing a terrible job keeping everyone in character...especially Shauna...hell, even I am acting out of character at times..) Oh and Caranore, sorry for the Avalon joke... I couldn't resist... innocent smile okay, I wrote Avalon in especially for you... grins and he ducks away to avoid Caranore hitting him

btw, tips to improve characters are always welcome...

Mick

* * *

AN: so... how was that? I suppose if you've come this far it was all right... and btw; sorry for the terrible spelling, don't have a english spelling check on my computer anymore... and as I also asked in the previous AN; please R&R

Drost 2005


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